HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes of Organ. Meeting - April 1,2002.pdf 1
Minutes of the Organizational Meeting
April 1, 2002
Village of Cayuga Heights
Board of Trustees
Present: Mayor Lynn, Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil, Attorney Tyler,
Treasurer Silber, Supt. of PW Cross, Fire Supt. Randall, Judge Galbreath
Absent: Trustees Dunning and Mount, Police Chief Lansing
Others: Ron and Carol Schmidt
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At 7:00 P.M. Mayor Lynn opened the Public Hearing to consider the adoption of the
2003 Budget. Treasurer Silber explained the proposed budget to the Mayor, Trustees and
the public. Several questions were posed by various Trustees and answered by the
Treasurer. There being no questions from the public, the Hearing was closed at 7:28.
At 7:29 P.M. Mayor Lynn opened the Public Hearing for consideration of Local Law #3
setting the sewer rents for the 2003 Fiscal Year at $93.50/unit. There being no questions
from the public, the Hearing was closed at 7:32 P.M.
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Mayor Lynn opened the Annual Organizational Meeting at 7:33 P.M.
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Mayor Lynn appointed Ann Antil as Deputy Mayor for the 2002-2003 Official Year.
Trustee Antil accepted the appointment.
Resolution 5069 - Appointments
Motion by Trustee Collyer, seconded by Trustee Antil,
VOTED to approve the following appointments:
Norma R. Manning, Clerk for two official years.
Jeffrey Silber, Treasurer for two official years.
True, Walsh and Miller, Law Firm for one official year.
Brent Cross, Building Commissioner for one official year.
Brent Cross, Engineer for one official year.
Brent Cross, Zoning Officer for one official year.
Frank Collyer, Acting Treasurer for one official year.
David Pimentel, Village Forester for one official year.
Clarence Larkin, Acting Village Justice for one official year.
Marian Kira, ZBA Member for a five-year term to expire in April 2007. (Joe
Petrillose will act as a substitute.)
Trustees Kusse, Collyer, Antil and McNeil voted YES.
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Privilege of the Floor:
Glenn Galbreath introduced himself to the Trustees as Justice of the Court of the
Village of Cayuga Heights. Justice Galbreath extended an invitation to the Public and the
Board to attend court any Tuesday evening at 6:00 pm and also the 1st Thursday evening
of each month. He commented on the ambiance of the grand old courtroom (which, of
course, also serves as the Village Board’s and BZA’s meeting place).
Justice Galbreath also wanted the Board to know that at some point, the Court
software needs to be updated so that it is uniform with other Justice Courts in the State
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Motion by Trustee Collyer, Seconded by Trustee Antil
VOTED to approve the minutes of March 18, 2002.
Mayor Lynn, Trustees Collyer, Kusse and Antil voted YES.
Trustee McNeil abstained.
Motion Passed.
Mayor Lynn advised the Trustees that each will be receiving an updated NYCOM
manual for their use.
Mayor Lynn then explained to the Trustees that each will have their own notebooks to be
used at each Board meeting. All reports will be 3-hole punched when distributed and
should be kept in the notebook, which will be kept in the Mayor’s office on his
bookshelf. The Trustees can take the books home with them after a meeting, or just keep
them in the Mayor’s office.
Mayor Lynn announced the members of the following committees:
Public Works Committee – Ann Antil, Susan McNeil and Elizabeth Mount.
Public Safety Committee – Bruce Kusse, Frank Collyer, and Judy Dunning.
There will be a need to have another meeting on April 15 to pay bills. The Clerk will
post a notice on the bulletin board in the Village Hall.
On March 29, the Mayor and Supt. Cross met with Mr. Yaw of Yaw’s Environmental
Process Control, which operates the Village’s WWTP plant. The contract between the
Village and Yaw’s has expired. The Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Plant is
negotiating as to whether it will include the Village’s Treatment Plant as part of the new
partnership. It has been somewhat slow in coming to fruition. Mayor Lynn brought this
up at the last Intermunicipal Sewer Committee meeting. We need to talk about how to
structure this. Mayor Lynn will report back to Yaws that the Trustees are working on a
proposal. The Mayor will meet with Atty. Tyler, Supt. Cross and Treasurer Silber on this
subject.
Fire Supt. Randall reported that the Fire Company elections will be held on Tuesday,
April 2. The nominees will be approved by the Board of Trustees at the next meeting,
which is on April 15.
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Attorney Tyler presented Fire Supt. Randall with an original of the signed Fire Contract
with Cayuga Heights and the Town of Ithaca. Atty. Tyler wanted to also thank Treasurer
Silber for a successful conclusion to the contract.
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Supt. of PW Cross reported that as previously reported, Ed Quick will not be returning to
work in the near future. Since the position that Ed held (Sr. MEO) is an important
operation of the D.P.W., Supt. Cross would like to offer a temporary appointment to fill
that position of Sr. MEO of Water/Sewer to Ralph Newhart.
Motion by Trustee Antil, Seconded by Trustee Collyer
VOTED to pass Resolution 5070 making an appointment to fill the position of Sr.
MEO of Water/Sewer to Ralph Newhart on a temporary basis at Step 2 as defined
in the collective bargaining unit until which time it is determined whether Ed will,
or will not, be able to return to work.
Trustees Kusse, Collyer, Antil and McNeil voted YES.
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Attorney Tyler reminded the Board of the issue of “conflicts of interest”. The Cornell
connections have been discussed in the past, and now the same will pertain to Trustee
McNeil due to her current involvement in the Fire Department, as it did to former Mayor
Anderson. Trustee McNeil may have to recuse herself from discussions on fire
department issues, just as Cornell employees do on any discussions involving the Village
and Cornell.
Attorney Tyler took suggestions from the Board on the proposed letter to Sarah Grace
Campbell, Attorney for NYSEG on the issue of the utility company structure near the
Cayuga Heights Elementary School. It was decided that Attorney Tyler will proceed to
send a letter to Attorney Campbell after minor changes that were discussed are made, and
will send a copy of same letter to the Board.
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Treasurer Silber presented the following resolutions:
Motion by Trustee Collyer, Seconded by Trustee Antil
VOTED to pass Resolution 5071 setting Tax Levies for 2003 Fiscal Year as follows:
VOTED that the amount of $1,442,517 be levied upon the taxable real property of
the Village for the 2002/2003 Fiscal Year as real property taxes and to authorize the
Clerk to extend and carry out upon the assessment roll this amount to be charged
proportionately against each parcel of real property shown thereon, according to
the total levy of $1,442,517.
Also VOTED that the amount of $175,312 be levied upon benefited properties
connected to VCH sewer system for the 2002/2003 Fiscal Year and to authorize the
Clerk to extend and carry out upon the sewer rent assessment roll the amount to be
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charged against each benefited property proportionately according to the total levy
of $175,312.
Also VOTED that the amount of $8,010 be levied upon the benefited properties on
Remington Road for the 2002/2003 Fiscal Year as special assessment for road
improvements and to authorize and direct the Clerk to extend and carry out upon
the assessment roll the amount to be charged against each benefited property
proportionately on Remington Road for special assessment for road improvements
shown thereon, according to the total levy of $8,010.
Also VOTED to establish rates for the 2002/2003 Fiscal Year as follows:
Real Property Tax $ 5.91/M
Sewer Plant Disposal & Maintenance:
1875 Units Inside Village $ 93.50/unit
160 Units for Cornell B&T Park $ 93.50/unit
(Inside Rate)
4021 Units Outside Village $ 140.25/unit
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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Motion by Trustee Collyer, Seconded by Trustee Kusse
VOTED to pass Resolution 5072 adopting the Budget and appended Salary and
Wage Schedule for Fiscal Year 2002-2003
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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Motion by Trustee Collyer, seconded by Trustee Kusse
VOTED to pass Resolution 5073 making the Tompkins Trust Company of Ithaca,
NY the official depository for the Village funds for the 2003 Fiscal Year, with a
maximum deposit of $3,000,000 and
VOTED to authorize the clerk to notify the Tompkins County Trust Company of
Ithaca, NY of the following names to be honored on checks for the 2003 official year,
with two signatures required:
Walter R. Lynn, Mayor or Ann Antil, Acting Mayor
Jeffrey Silber, Treasurer or Frank Collyer, Acting Treasurer
Norma R. Manning, Clerk
. Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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Motion by Trustee Collyer, seconded by Trustee Kusse
VOTED to pass Resolution 5074 designating the Ithaca Journal as the official
Newspaper for the 2003 official year.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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VOTED to pass Resolution 5075 establishing the official reimbursement rate for
business mileage at 36 ½ cents/mile.
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Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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A review of the Procurement (including advance payments of claims) and Investment
policies was deferred to the next meeting.
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There was discussion on the consideration of preauthorization of business travel.
Motion by Trustee Kusse, Seconded by Trustee Antil.
VOTED to pass Resolution 5076 authorizing the Mayor and Department heads
(within their respective departments) to approve business travel.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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There was discussion on setting the time for regular meetings for the 2003 Official Year.
A suggestion was made by Mayor Lynn that the Board meetings begin at 7:00 PM, rather
than 7:30 PM. There was also discussion on moving all Board meetings to the first
meeting of the month rather than the third Monday of the month. Decision on this was
deferred to the next meeting.
There will be a Special Meeting on April 15 at 7:00 PM to pay bills, approve the
nominations of the officers of the Fire Department, and any other business that is deemed
necessary.
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Treasurer Silber reported that he is working with Fire Supt. Randall on a grant proposal
for the Fire Department.
Treasurer Silber asked for a resolution regarding the retainer for True, Walsh and Miller.
Motion by Trustee Antil, Seconded by Trustee Kusse
VOTED to approve Resolution 5077 stating that the annual retainer for True,
Walsh & Miller for the one-year period beginning June 1, 2002 shall be $19,500.
The retainer shall cover services as described in Attorney Tyler’s letter dated
February 20, 2002.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
Treasurer Silber asked for motions to pass the following Resolutions:
Motion by Trustee Collyer, Seconded by Trustee Antil
VOTED to pass Resolution 5079 as follows:
Resolved that due to the type of work performed by the Department of Public
Works, the VCH DPW will not employ minors in this capacity on either a seasonal
or full-time basis.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
Motion by Trustee Antil, Seconded by Trustee Collyer
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VOTED to pass Resolution 5080 as follows:
Resolved that the Village Board defines a five day work week, seven hour work day,
for the position of Justice Clerk only for the purpose of determining days worked
reportable to the New York State and Local Employees Retirement System.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
Motion by Trustee Collyer, Seconded by Trustee Kusse
VOTED to approve Abstract of Vouchers, copy of which is attached to these
minutes.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
Motion by Trustee Kusse, Seconded by Trustee Antil
VOTED to pass Local Law No. 3 to modify Village Ordinances, Article XIII, Section
4, entitled “SEWER RENTS” as follows:
SECTION 4.
Sewer rents shall not be charged against properties granted special permit under
Article VIII of the Village Ordinances or against properties connected to any other
municipal system, except against those properties where the Village pays the rent of
such a connection.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
Motion by Trustee Kussee, Seconded by Trustee Collyer
VOTED to pass Local Law No. 4 of the Year 2002 entitled “Establish Sewer Rates
for the 2003 Fiscal Year” as follows:
ESTABLISH SEWER RATES
Establish Sewer Rates for the 2003 Fiscal Year at $93.50 per unit for the Inside Rate
and $140.25 per unit for the Outside Rate, as defined in Article XII of the Village
Ordinances.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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There was discussion about a pending matter of Walter Lynn’s wife’s request for a
separate water service for their home at 102 Iroquois Place. There had been prior
conversations with Brent Cross and SCLIWC (Bolton Point) about the permissibility and
viability of the request – all favorable. The details are set forth in a letter to former
Mayor Anderson and Trustees dated March 20, 2002. Since this would ordinarily be
approved by the Mayor, Walter recused himself and referred the matter to the Trustees
for action.
Motion by Trustee Antil, Seconded by Trustee Collyer
VOTED to approve the request made by Mayor Lynn and his wife to install a
separate service connection and water meter from the water main at his residence at
102 Iroquois Place.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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Clerk Manning asked for a resolution to add delinquent water bills to the 2002/2003 Tax
Roll.
Motion by Trustee Collyer, Seconded by Trustee Kusse
VOTED to pass Resolution 5078 authorizing the Clerk to add to the Village Tax
Roll for 2002/2003 the amount of $5,090.10 due for delinquent water use bills for the
calendar year 2001.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
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Motion by Trustee Antil, Seconded by Trustee Collyer.
Moved to adjourn the Organizational Meeting at 9:10 P.M.
Trustees Antil, Collyer, Kusse and McNeil voted YES.
Norma R. Manning
Clerk